Easel



(No Model.)

W. E. & J. MA RHOFF.

- EASEL.

No. 562,138. Patented June. 16, 1896.

Witn ezssezs:

2 SheetS-Shet 1 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2.-

W. E. 8c J. MARHOPP.

BASBL No. 562,138. Patented June 16, 1896.

lnuemtors Witnassas:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVALTER E. MARHOFF, OF GALESBURG, AND JESSE MARHOFF, OF OLIVET,

MICHIGAN.

EASELL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,138, dated June 16, 1896.

Application filed September 28, 1895. Serial No. 564,017. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we,WALrER E. ll/IARHOFF, residing at the village of Galesburg, county of Kalamazoo, and J nssn MARHQFF, residing at the village of Olivet, county of Eaton, State of Michigan, citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Artists Easel, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in artists easels.

The objects of our invention are, first, to provide an artists easel which can be folded together and carried in a very compact space; second, to provide an artists easel which is perfectly adjustable, so that work placed upon it can be placed at any angle or at any height within reasonable limits; third, to provide an artists easel which is so thoroughly adjustable that it can be conveniently used as a drawing-table, if so desired; fourth,to provide an improved construction of artists easels which are adjustable; fifth, to provide new and improved means of supporting the shelf in an artists easel; sixth, to provide new and improved means of bracing the leg-supports to an easel, so that it shall be a perfectly stable and firm support. WVe accomplish these objects of our invention by the devices and means shown in the accompanying'drawings, in which- Figure-1 is a side elevation of an easel embodying all of the features of our invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of'the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 8 3 of Fig. 1, looking down. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view on line 4: 4 of Fig. 2, showing the means of supporting the shelf. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View of the adaptation of the shelf for receiving the support. 6 is an enlarged detail View of a portion of the supporting part of the easel where the shelf is inserted. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 7 7 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section-line.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the draw- Flg.

ings, A A represent the front legs of the easel and A the rear leg of the easel.

D represents a shield-shaped block to which the legs of the easel are pivoted. The legs A A are pivoted to the front of the same on the screws E E. The screw E is located at a point that will come exactly between the upper ends of the legs A A when the legs are spread or extended, the screw E serving as a stop to locate the legs exactly in position. The rear leg A is hinged at the back of the shield-shaped block D by the hinge c. A short rod F is pivotally connected at the back by the hinge-plate 6. Through the back leg A extends a bolt 1, which has an eye I on one end and a thumb nut I on the other. The rod F, which is pivoted to the shield, extends through the eye Iand is clamped against a suitable washer by turning the thumb-nut I, which sets the rear leg A at any point desired and holds the same very securely in place.

Across the top part of the shield-shaped block D extends a cross-bar D. Extending down to each side of this cross-barD are side pieces B B, containing slots B. Inserted through the slots B, and longitudinally through the cross-bar D, is a bolt H, having a bread or elongated head H at one end and a thumb-nut H at the other. The body of the bolt H is square next to the head H, so that it will be prevented from turning in the slots B B. The lower end of the side pieces B being connected by cross-piece O, the side pieces B B are held bythis means in a substantially parallel position. They are adjusted up and down by loosening the thumbnut H and sliding them over the bolt H, and again tightening the thumb-nut H when they are properly located.

The picture-rack is supported at different angles by means of the brace-pieces O O, which are pivoted at a point justinside of the lower end of the side pieces B B. The under side of the braces O are notched at b. Screws cl are inserted into the sides of the front legs A, on which the notches b are engaged. By the adjustment of the side. pieces up and down by tipping the same to the angle required and engaging the screws (Z, by the notch b, on the braces 0, it will be observed that the picturerack can be adjusted to any angle desired from substantially a perpendicular to a horizontal position that by the adjustment of the screw by the bolt II, through the side pieces B, theheight of the picture-rack can be varied at will.

The shelf to our improved easel is supported on the pieture-rack by a suitable notch J, cut into the side pieces to receive the same, hav ing a downwardly-projecting tenon' portion at the upper side. The shelf is made of two parts at right angles to each other, one portion to lie parallel with the front of the picture-rack and the other to project out and form the shelf. Notches G are cut into the upper front part in which the tenons J are inserted. The upper edge of the shelf G is inserted into the notch J, and slid up under the tenon J, which engages it in the notch G, when the lower side of the shelf rests against the lower side of the notch J, and it is held securely in position.

lVhen it is desired to use our improved easel for a drawing-table, the shelf G is removed and the picture-rack is adjusted to substantially a horizontal position and the drawingboard is clamped thereto by any suitable means. It will bereadily understood that the drawing-board can be tilted to any position required the same asacanvas or other material being operated upon by the artist.

\Vhen our improved easel is not in use, the front legs A can be folded to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shelf G removed and placed so that one limb of its angle comes between them. The rear leg A can be released and closed up against the shelf, retainingit between the legs AA. The braces G are raised up in position parallel withthe side pieces B. y The side pieces B are released by loosening the thumb-nut II, and are loweredto the lowest position, when they are again clamped tight. A suitable band ,ctr11 then be passed around the whole to secure it in this position, which makes the easel very compact in form.

Having thus described our improved easel and its various parts, we desire to say that it can be considerably varied in detail without departing from our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and (lesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an artists easel, the combination of the block, D; the forward legs, A, A, pivoted thereto at E, E, with a screw, E between the two to serve as a stop to properly locate the same; a rear leg. A, hinged to the back of the block, D, by hinge, c; a rod, F, pivotally con nected to the block, D; a clamp on said rear leg, I, for engaging the rod, F, for adjusting the position of the rear leg of the easel; a cross-bar, D across the top of the block, D;

a bolt, II, extending through said cross-bar, D, square at one end with thumb-nut, II, at the other; side pieces, B, B, containing slots, B, through which said bolt, II, passes; a crosspiece, G, retaining said side pieces together in a substantially parallel position; a shelf G, constructed of two parts at an angle to each other one of which contains a mortise, G, adapted to be supported in a suitable notch, J, having a tenon, J, to engage inortise, G, at the lower end of the side pieces, B, B; braces, O, C, pivoted to the lower ends of said side pieces, B, B, and held together by cross-pieces, B, containing notches, Z), on the under side thereof; and screws, cl, in the sides of the forward legs for engaging the said notches, b, for adjusting the angle of the picture-rack all combined and coactin g together substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. I11 an artists easel, the combination of a block, D, the forward legs, A, A, pivoted thereto at, E, E, with a screw, E, between the two to serve as a stop to properly locate the same, the rear leg, A, hinged to the back of the block, D, and suitable means of adjusting the rear leg at any angle desired, for the purpose specified.

3. In an artists easel, the combination of a block, D; the forward legs pivoted thereto; a rear leg, A, hinged to the back of said block; a rod, F, pivotally connected to the said block by the plate, 6; a belt, I, passing through said rear leg, A, with an eye, I, at one end for receiving the rod, F; a thumbnut, I, on the opposite end of said bolt for clamping the rod, F, to adjust the rear leg at any angle desired, for the purpose specified.

4. In an artists easel, the combination of the block D, to which the legs are pivoted; a cross-bar, D, across the upper, front side of said block; a bolt, II, extending through said crossbar; the side pieces, B, B, containing slots, D, through which said bolt, II, passes; the cross-pieces, C, for retaining said side pieces together in a substantially parallel position; the thumb-nut, II, on the bolt, II, for clamping the side pieces at any angle or height desired; and a suitable shelf at thelower end of said side pieces, all coacting together substantially as described for the purpose specified.

5. In an artists ease], the combination of the block D, to which the legs are pivoted; the cross-bar, D, across the upper, front side of said block; a bolt, H, extending through said cross-bar; the side pieces, B, B, containing slots, B, through which said bolt, ll, passes; the cross-pieces, O, for retaining said side pieces together in a substantially parallel position; a thumb-nut, II, on the bolt, H, for clamping the side pieces at any angle or height desired; suitable braces, O, C, pivoted to the inside of said side piecesand extending rearwardly with notches on the under side thereof screws, cl, in the legs of said easel for en- IIO ITS

gaging the notches on the under side of said In Witness whereof We have hereunto set braces; and a suitable shelf at the lower end our hands and seals in the presence of two 1 of said side pieces, for the purpose specified. witnesses.

6. In an artists easel, the combination of WALTER E. MARHOFF. [L. 8.] 5 the side pieces, B, B, suitably supported, con- JESSE MARHOFF. [L. s.] taining the notches, J, with tenons, J, pro- Witnesses as to signature ofWalterE. Marecting downwardly from the upper side therehoif: l of g a shelf, G, composed of two parts at sub- SIDNY DUNN, stantially right angles to each other, one of T. S. CLAPP.

to Which contains mortise-notches, G, for en- Witnesses as to signature of Jesse Marhoff:

gaging the tenons, J, in the notches, J sub- K. D. KEYES, stantially as described. J. N. TAGGART. 

